. >> reporter: the national security council staff and the intelligence agencies are referring all questions about the u.s. government's contacts with syria to the state department where today a spokesperson tries to play down direct talks as old news. >> we've been engaging with the broad section for a long time. it's been ongoing. of course we're incredibly concerned about the terrorist threat in syria. we've made that very clear. that's why we talk to the opposition all the time. >> reporter: as first reported by the "wall street journal" the u.s. and gulf nations are engaging with islamist groups in order to strengthen those who are not directly linked to the al qaeda franchises in syria. while these groups including the newly organized islamic front are not members of al qaeda, they still fly the black flag and support the establishment of an islamic state within syria, which runs counter to democratic principles. as for the syrian president assad, who's agreed to send a delegation to january peace talks in geneva, switzerland, defense department officials say the administration is tryi